UTEP hires Kansas State OC Dana Dimel as head coach

The Sun Bowl, where Dana Dimel will serve as UTEP’s next head coach. (Getty)

Kansas State offensive coordinator Dana Dimel is going to be a head coach again.

UTEP announced Wednesday that Dimel would be the team’s next coach. The Miners were the only winless team in college football’s top level in 2017, going 0-12.

“We are very pleased to find a coach with the talent, expertise, and experience of Dana Dimel,” UTEP athletic director Jim Senter said in a statement. “He has strong ties to the state of Texas. He will immediately impact recruiting in the state of Texas and he is a proven winner.”

It’s Senter’s first hire as UTEP’s athletic director. He was announced as the school’s AD on Nov. 22, replacing Bob Stull.

Dimel, 55, has been Kansas State’s offensive coordinator for the past nine seasons. It’s his second stint with the school after he started as a grad assistant with the team in 1987 and worked his way up to be the team’s offensive coordinator in 1995 and 1996.

He left for Wyoming in 1997 and was the coach of the Cowboys for three seasons. After going 22-13 at Wyoming, he went to Houston in 2000 but was fired after three seasons and an 8-26 record. He was an assistant at Arizona for two seasons before returning to Kansas State.

Previous UTEP coach Sean Kugler resigned Oct. 1 after the team started 0-5.